Executive Assistant to the Dean, The Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy

Sampson Oppedisano is the Executive Assistant to the Dean of the Milano School of International Affairs, Management and Urban Policy at The New School in New York City. His academic background is in international relations and Asian studies with a focus on regional security and nuclear disarmament issues.

The departure of Ambassador Nikki Haley, a strong force for U.S. policies at the UN, illustrates a looming question: as the U.S. withdraws from the multilateral system it built, who will fill the void? China may be next.

In recent weeks, the world has witnessed what was thought to be virtually impossible. Not only a thawing of tensions between North and South Korea, but what seems to be a rapid move towards opening and rebuilding of diplomatic relations between the two.

To China, North Korea has remained, though a thorn in its side at points, a check against Western powers in the region, namely the United States. As with climate change, this the North Korea conundrum is a valuable opportunity for China to continue to prove its desire to become more involved in global crises and continue to showcase its “peaceful rise” in the global community.

More often than not, the start of the new year is marked with a sense of hope and renewal, a chance to learn from the previous year’s trials and transgressions, a chance of getting things right the next time around. However, if the world has learned anything during the last year that the Trump Administration has been in power, it is that hope, renewal, and learning from past mistakes seem to be far from the top of the administration’s New Year’s resolution list.

When a U.S. president goes on a tour of a region of the world, the goals can range from reassuring existing alliances, to encouraging the adoption of democratic values such as human rights, to working on building diplomatic relations and economic development. Not President Donald Trump.

During Barack Obama’s time in office, the administration adopted a policy stance known as the ‘Pivot toward Asia’. Does the Trump Administration plan to pull back and disengage with the Asia Pacific, potentially as a way to undermine Obama’s legacy?

Recently, the leaders of the world descended upon New York City for the opening of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly. However, despite Trump’s debut speech generating great interest and concern amongst the world and it’s leaders, several notable leaders were absent, namely China’s President Xi Jinping.

The North Korean conundrum continues to plague President Trump, resulting in mass frustration for his country, his administration, and his poll numbers. But there was a previous moment in American history when a U.S. President successfully crafted a path to peace with the rogue nation. Diplomacy could be the key for Trump to create not only a stable Asian-Pacific, but also a stable legacy.

One of the primary responsibilities as president is to ensure the security of the United States as well as stability on a global level. To serve as a “threat minimizer” if you will. However, in the last five months, Trump’s clear disregard for these responsibilities only serves to further validate concerns about his qualifications to lead.